Mackay Acting Mayor Cr Kevin Casey said he was pleased to see Mackay was the third most family-friendly city in Queensland.

"We provide a great balance of job opportunities, quality schools, a terrific choice of housing and lifestyle attractions that can be enjoyed by families."

Cr Casey said to outrank the likes of Townsville, Cairns and even the Sunshine Coast was a real achievement for our growing region. "It certainly shows we have the right mix for families and emphasises the importance of attracting government investment to cater for our future growth."

Jason Haines and his partner Jasmine Wood, who live in Bloomsbury, couldn't agree more with the index.

"When I had (Travis) in Mackay, I had the option of having him in the birth centre," Ms Wood said. "The people there were great... there's a lot of health options here for sure.

"We considered moving but then we thought no, you couldn't match it (Mackay), being close to your family and friends."

Reader poll

Do you think Mackay is a friendly place to live?

This poll ended on 24 January 2013.

Yes - 34%

No - 65%

This is not a scientific poll. The results reflect only the opinions of those who chose to participate.